'Tremendous achievement': PM Modi Lauds Nitesh Kumar For Winning Gold Medal for India in Paralympics

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Para-athlete Nitesh Kumar for winning the Gold medal for India in the Badminton Men's singles SL3 category. PM Modi took to X to exhibit his delight at the victory of the 29-year-old para-athlete. "A tremendous achievement by Nitesh Kumar in the Para-Badminton Men's Singles SL3, as he wins the Gold! He is known for his incredible skills and perseverance. May he keep motivating upcoming athletes." PM Modi wrote.

India's Kumar Nitesh clinched his maiden gold medal at the Paralympics, defeating Great Britain's Daniel Bethell in a gripping men's singles SL3 badminton final here on Monday.

The 29-year-old from Haryana showcased incredible resilience and tactical brilliance, overcoming Tokyo silver medallist Bethell in a nail-biting contest that lasted an hour and 20 minutes, with the final scoreline reading 21-14 18-21 23-21.

"I still don't feel it. May be when I go to the podium and the national anthem is played, it will sink in," Nitesh said after the match.
Competing in the SL3 category, which is reserved for players with severe lower limb disabilities and requires to play on a half-width court, Nitesh's journey to gold was anything but ordinary.

At the age of 15, he lost his left leg in a train accident in Visakhapatnam in 2009. However, this devastating event didn't crush his spirit.

His victory on Monday not only marked a personal triumph but also ensured that India retained the SL3 gold, which Pramod Bhagat had won three years ago when badminton made its Paralympic debut in Tokyo.
Facing an opponent who had beaten him nine times in the past, Nitesh, an IIT Mandi graduate, displayed immense mental fortitude as he recorded his first win over Bethell.

"I didn't think it this way. Thoughts were coming into my mind how I will win. But I was not thinking about what I will do after I win, I pushed that feeling away," he said.

(With inputs from PTI)